CFFC Opens Fall Grant Applications

The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is now accepting applications for the fall grant cycle. All grant applications have a deadline of September 30, 2021. Please visit the “Grants” tab at www.cffayettepa.org to learn more and apply.

The Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund awards funding to schools for reusable items that will enhance the classrooms. Any teacher, school counselor, or administrator in the Laurel Highlands School District or Uniontown Area School District is encouraged to apply.

The Burchinal Family Endowment Fund supports charities that provide health and medical care for Fayette County residents.

The Idea Fund makes awards to enhance traditional classroom learning in any subject, to show creativity in teaching, and to expand the horizons of the students. Teachers at St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School, Geibel Catholic Junior-Senior High School, Laurel Highlands School District, and Albert Gallatin School District are eligible to apply.

The Patricia and Robert Metz Educational Fund aims to enhance STEM teaching and learning at Uniontown Area High School. Requests will be accepted for support of teacher or student activities or for the purchase of classroom materials.

Additionally, CFFC is accepting Letters of Inquiry for Innovative Educational Programs on a rolling basis.

Thank you to the generous donors who make these CFFC funding opportunities possible. Learn more and apply on the “Grants” tab at www.cffayettepa.org, and call 724-437-8600 x203 with any questions.

Fayette Gives 2021 Kickoff Webinar for Charities

Register for the Fayette Gives 2021 Kickoff Webinar for Charities on July 12, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. to learn what Fayette Gives is, how it works, and how your charity can take advantage of this opportunity. CFFC is hosting this webinar for charities that are registered, or interested in registering, for Fayette Gives 2021.

Webinar Agenda:
Introduction & Background
Fayette Gives Website Overview
Donation Methods
Bonus Pool Incentive
5 Steps to Success (from Tungsten Creative Group)
Marketing Fayette Gives
Questions & Closing

Fayette Gives is a community-wide “day of giving” that supports local charities in an effort to build a stronger Fayette County. This year, it will take place on November 16, 2021 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at www.fayettegives.org.

Register for the webinar here!

CFFC Announces 2021-2022 Scholarship Awards

The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) will award over $160,000 in post-secondary scholarships for the 2021-2022 school year. Congratulations to the selected students!

Watch the scholarship award slideshow here!  (also posted on our Facebook page)

Scholarship funds are created in honor or memory of a loved one, to support certain career paths, or to simply give back to the community. Generous donors who create and support these funds make it possible to award a wide selection of students each school year. Each scholarship has unique criteria, including qualifications related to academic achievement, community service, financial need, extracurricular participation, area of study, or school preference.

“The CFFC Board of Directors would like to applaud all of the 2021-2022 scholarship recipients for their hard-earned accomplishments and achievements. We look forward to seeing how these students progress in their education, professions, and as members of the Fayette County community. We also want to thank the volunteers of the CFFC Scholarship Committee who reviewed hundreds of applications to select this year’s winners,” said Angela Braun, CFFC Scholarship Committee Chair.

CFFC hosted a “Snap & Go” Ice Cream Social for the scholarship recipients on May 25 at Hatfield Elementary School’s covered patio. Students “snapped” pictures to commemorate their accomplishment and took an ice cream treat “to go”.

Through the CFFC’s partnership with the Pennsylvania Access to Higher Education Program, qualifying students will have the opportunity to have their scholarship awards matched by the state.

Please visit the website at www.cffayettepa.org and follow CFFC on social media @cffayettepa to stay updated with the scholarship program and much more.

CFFC Awards Over $22,000 in Spring 2021 Grants

The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) awarded over $22,000 in Spring 2021 grants to nonprofits that address a variety of causes in Fayette County.

Building a Stronger Fayette General Grantmaking awards support Arts and Culture, Education, Community and Economic Development, Health and Human Services, and other areas of interest. The following nonprofits received grant awards:  Alternatives.Yes Pregnancy Support Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, Christian Layman Corps., East End United Community Center, German-Masontown Public Library, State Theatre Center for the Arts, Historic Church of St. Peter, Jacobs Creek Watershed Association, and Uniontown Public Library.

The Burchinal Family Endowment Fund supports nonprofits that provide health and medical care for Fayette County residents. Fayette Emergency Medical Service and Redstone Foundation, on behalf of McClellandtown Volunteer Fire Company, were awarded funding.

The Jack and Diane Hughes Family Fund supports projects/programs related to community gardens and/or science/environmental education. Albert Gallatin Human Services/Masontown Senior Center, City Mission- Living Stones, Inc., and Fayette County Community Action Agency, Inc. were awarded funding.

The Mary and John J. Depcrymski Memorial Fund supports nonprofits that provide transportation for Fayette County senior citizens. LaFayette Manor Inc. was awarded funding.

CFFC will also award $5,000 in Emergency Relief Fund grants to local health and human service organizations.

“As a community foundation, CFFC has a unique ability to address multiple categories of community need. We were happy to travel around the county to hand-deliver grant checks to nonprofits for this Spring 2021 grant cycle and hear about their projects and programs that impact Fayette County in a variety of ways,” said Renee Couser, CFFC Executive Director.

Educational Improvement Tax Credit Seminar

Is your business eligible to receive an Educational Improvement
Tax Credit?

Attend this free virtual seminar on Thursday, May 20, 2021 from 9:00 a.m.
to 10:30 a.m.
to learn more about the tax savings for PA Corporations and
PA pass through companies (S-Corporations, Partnerships, and LLC’s).

RSVP to rebecca@cffayettepa.org to receive the meeting link.

Topics include:

  • How to apply for this credit
  • How this credit will benefit your business
  • How to use the credit for PA entity level taxes or pass through to their owners
  • Amount of credit range 75% to 100% of the amount contributed
  • The Federal tax benefits to individuals subject of AMT by trading the
    state tax deduction for a charitable contribution

Grant Applications Available for the CFFC’s Emergency Relief Fund

The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is accepting grant applications for the Emergency Relief Fund. This fund was created in 2020 to provide grants to nonprofit organizations serving Fayette County, PA that were responding to the immediate needs of the community, due to COVID-19.

“Many nonprofits were in survival mode during the height of the pandemic, and there are still lasting effects and challenges. Thanks to the generosity of the Eberly Foundation, CFFC is offering another round of funding from the Emergency Relief Fund,” said Renee Couser, CFFC Executive Director.

To be eligible to apply, organizations must be classified as a 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1), 509(a)(2), 509(a)(3), or Unit of Government and either be located in Fayette County or provide services to Fayette County residents. Requests for funding must be due to the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations may request up to $1,000. The application deadline is Monday, May 17, 2021.

Click here to apply!

In addition to the Emergency Relief Fund, the foundation also launched the CFFC Mask Initiative in 2020 to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and provide disposable masks for organizations serving local communities. Organizations can submit masks requests online.